Scientific Reviews: 125 
authors have at least. entered on the path of certainty, by founding 
their arrangement on the analogies and varieties of anatomical 
structure. 
From comparative anatomy have emerged speculations of the 
most astonishing description, so vast in their embrace, that by the 
unity which they approach, men cease to gaze in mere wonder at 
the origin of the determinate forms of living bodies, but believe that 
they can trace in the structure of a crystal the rudiments of that 
power,—that “ elective aflinity,” which has shown perfectibility in 
the composition of man. The transcendental anatomy of the French, 
has given birth to the philosophic anatomy of the German school, 
which has, at the same time, by a morbid principle of growth, ex- 
ceeded the absurdities of its parent, and, by the greater determina- 
tion and accuracy of its masters, far excelled her in the exposition 
of facts. 
Amongst the systems emanating from Germany, the treatise of 
M. Meckel stands prominent. Too minute in its details not to be 
exceedingly voluminous, this second part of the third volume of the 
work, only terminates the description of the bones. So complete, 
indeed, is this work, that the French translators, who had under- 
taken to add notes when requisite, confess that no room existed for 
their labour. 
The part just published, contains the conclusion of the descrip- 
tion of the skeleton of mammalia,—the bones of the limbs and of 
the head ; concluding with general observations on the crania of 
the mammifera. 
The work is essentially practical, but enlarged by many interest- 
ing notes, from the pen of the translators, on the different theories 
which have been advanced in connection with the text. In this new 
part, for instance, there is an analysis of the views of M. Serres 
on the developement of the cranium, (p. 392, )—an explanation of 
the law which he ascribes to the formation of articular cavities, 
(p. 146,)—and of the law of osseous protuberances, (p. 194.) And 
when treating of the internal plate of the skull, an abstract of the 
memoir of M. Vimont is appended, which, from its phrenological 
importance, and from the fact, that the Academy of Sciences still 
hesitate in expressing an: opinion respecting it, we cannot do 
better than present to our readers. 
“« The study of the varieties of form exhibited by the crania of 
the human species, has led M. Gall to suspect that there must be 
a coincidence between the configuration of the osseous envelope and 
that of the inclosed organ. This anatomist has demonstrated that 
the hard parts are moulded upon the soft ; and the accidents of 
volume, and superficial disposition of the encephalic parts, having 
appeared to him to be connected with the energy and variety of 
their functions, he thought that the external form of the cranium 
might indicate the intellectual aptitude and innate feelings. 
“* Fortunate observations,” thus write the translators, ‘ have 
confirmed these ingenious suppositions. In general, the human 

